The Best Independent Living Communities in Middlesex County, NJ

"I went down to Quality Home Residence yesterday, and I didn't like what I saw. I didn't want to live in a private house like that. I don't like that. I live in a palace. It's beautiful here. We have a nice apartment here. I didn't like the area at Quality Home Residence. I'm a veteran, and I'm going to pursue a place where Veterans would pay most of it. However, $4200 a month living in that place is ridiculous. Where I'm living now, I don't spend that kind of money. It's like a house in a rural area. I went down there, and the grass is growing in the yard. I'm not looking for anything like that. I would rather stay where I'm at, which is nice, and have in-home care for a couple of days a week, just to give me a break. It would be much cheaper because the VA will pay for four hours for five days, and it's not costing me anything out of my pocket. The staff was good. They tried to explain everything to us, but after I saw the place, I didn't want to live in a house. I looked around, and I found this other place down here in Monroe Township, affordable housing for seniors. It's nice, and it's a luxury thing. To go down to Quality Home Residence is like going backwards. We are in our 80s, and we want to make sure that we live comfortably. They didn't have any amenities, and in the area, the grass needed cutting. People were sitting on a porch. They could improve the appearance of the house. It's clean and everything."

"We decided on Bella Terra, and we have the deposit down. My parents will move there in October. We're starting out with independent living. Bella Terra is the most cost effective to fit our budget in the long term. Everybody was incredible, very friendly, very informative, very nice, and willing to answer any questions or help you in anything you needed. They even gave us two free meals to bring home to them to enjoy and try out the food as well. They're really fantastic, and the food is very good. They have these fresh donuts that they bake on the premises and give us for dessert. It was baked fresh that morning, right on the premises, and it was amazing, they were very good. The dining area is very elegant, it's beautiful, it was not open at the time due to the covid restrictions, everybody was being served their meals in their rooms. It's like you're living in a 5-star hotel. We're very pleased with everything."

"I toured The Willows Home. It's lovely. I talked to a couple of residents, and they're very happy there. The nurse said that they have three meals a day, entertainment, and a beautiful common room. The bedrooms were very nice. The entire place is clean, but it's not what we're looking for right now. The dining area was lovely. They have a beautiful dining table, and everyone has a place at the table. She showed me the well-stocked kitchen. They have three hot meals a day, plus snacks are available to the residents. The staff was very gracious and very understanding. She showed me around, a very nice lady. The facility was very clean and had a very pleasant smell. The bathrooms were clean. The toilets were clean. I have nothing bad to say about it. It was a very nice place. They're somewhere I would consider if they had the accessibility that my father needs right now."

"Maintenance response is excelLent since Jennifer has been over this department. I had a problem with plumbing Today and response was amazing. Sanchez immediately and very professionally resolved the issue. Previously my blinds needed replaced , issue was resolved in the same manner. Great job"

"I toured The Bristal at Somerset for my mom. It's a very active community. It's got a very youthful vibe to it. When we went in, we didn't see a lot of residents just sitting around unoccupied like they do in so many places. Everybody seemed to be engaged in activity and they emphasized that. My mom is going to be in what's called a friendship suite. It's a shared entryway, storage area, and kitchenette, and each resident has a private bathroom and private bedroom. The staff who showed us around was great and so was her assistant. They're very accommodating to our finances and mom's needs. They've been wonderful. They have a good array of food choices from what I can see. They also have a bistro that serves snacks and social hour."

"Charleston Place only has two levels, so you don't have to worry about climbing up stairs. My aunt and uncle's car is parked right in front of their doors. It's like having a ranch house, not an apartment building. It's close to everything. There's a lot of shops across the street on 27. Their apartment has a kitchen, a bathroom, and a little yard in the back where you can sit outside. It's really nice. The place is clean. People are friendly and you're allowed to have pets. My uncle says the staff is very nice and friendly. There are just no activities."

"I love Residence at Roosevelt Park. I went on the tour, and I met someone there. I've been there twice, and I love the way the place is laid out. The security is good. It's bright and cheery. They have a gym and a little café. It's a great location. It's right by the park, and you got the hospital 2 minutes away. The person who assisted me was really nice and very helpful. If I have questions, I could call her. There's no dining or anything there. You got your own apartment and your own kitchen and all that. They have a monthly calendar that they put out and they have an activities room where they do movies and cards and stuff like that. Once a week they have a coffee hour, so it seems like they have a lot going on."

"I am a big fan of the facility. The security guards working the main gate are very friendly and accommodating. My grandparents are able to leave their door unlocked when they are not around and not have to fear theft. The mail is delivered directly to their door which is also very nice because it is hard for my grandparents to walk. The "clubhouse" is very polished with nice amenities such as pool tables and ping pong tables. My sister enjoys visiting there to swim in the pool, which is maintained and always has a lifeguard on duty. Overall I have no complaints about the facility. I'm not sure what the prices are to stay there but my grandparents are not wealthy by any means and seem easily able to afford the cost of living. Renovations always seem to be being made over there. Additionally, my grandma, an avid reader, is able to acquire numerous books free of charge to borrow. "

"Monroe Village was nice, attractive and I knew a few people that lived in that area. I couldn't find an apartment there that was to my liking. They have all kinds of activities. "

"I've only been to Woodbridge Hills a couple of times, but so far, it's really beautiful. It's very well-kept. They just renovated. I don't know if they renovated the whole place, but I know Mom's entire building, all the appliances there are new and they let the residents choose what colors they want for paint. They repaint everything before they move in. She has a washer and dryer. Then they have a small closet on their little porch for storage. They have a clubhouse and a place where they can watch movies and do activities. I think there are two pools. They have a whole calendar of different stuff that they do, like arts and crafts or cards and play games and bingos and stuff like that. She said that everyone there was very nice. It is a gated community but what bothers me is that one entrance has a guardhouse and the other entrance just has a gate. Then when it had snowed, the gates were up. So, I don't know if the township comes in and does plowing or what that's why the gates were up, but I was thinking that the gates really shouldn't be up all the time if they're paying more money to be in a safer environment or whatever. It seems pretty safe still though. Each building has a little foyer and then the second door is locked, so you can't go in unless you get buzzed in. So, that's an extra safety measure. They make bracelets and during the winter, they have something like decorating your own wine glasses. They have a different group of stuff. They have lunch or something one day, but they ask you first so they can reserve a spot and know how many people would go. For some of the arts and crafts, they ask for minimal fees. I think it was like $5 or something, but they have stuff for them to do so that's good."

"Greenbriar at Whittingham was very nice, good value for the price, and was attractive. They're near universities, like Rutgers, which is ten miles away in New Brunswick, and many quaint rural towns. There's a lot of activities, like shopping and medical resources nearby. It looked very clean and well cared for. The lawns were good, the buildings looked kept up, and there was a large clubhouse with a very active calendar. Just adjacent to the property was the Central Library of Monroe County, which is a large and very extensive community activities program for all age groups, which is another source of activity and cultural interest, and that added quite a bit to the value of the community. They offered lecture series to the residents where they bring in people from different fields of expertise to discuss ideas and trends. There were a lot of physical activities, including sports and exercises. So, that was another selling point. Actually, all of the facilities I visited were similar, except most of the other places didn't have access to educational resources, but this place had."

"Encore at Monroe is a 55+ community. The complex is really quite wonderful. We have a tennis court, a small golf course, indoor and outdoor swimming pools. They have a very extensive gym and a large clubhouse where we have a tremendous amount of activities. We have arts and crafts. We have more sophisticated type of activities like going to the opera, going to the museums, to ballets, etc. We have Men's and Women's Clubs. The Men's Club will go to things like the races. The Women's Club will go to things like art galleries. Their homes are all independent and free-standing. We have the Concerto, which is over 2,000 square feet. It is a one-level home. It's really quite beautiful. We have a two-car garage. However, they take care of everything in terms of all the gardening, removing the snow, etc., all the necessary things. I couldn't possibly have a better situation than that. "

"My parents are moving into Waterside Villas next month. It's an independent living facility with additional services that you can pay for to help your loved ones manage. They also provide all types of transportation services and housekeeping. The staff has been absolutely fantastic. The rooms are nice, too. They have a variety of activities every day that you can sign up for. I'm very impressed with the place. "

"The experience with The Renaissance was wonderful. It was a clean and beautiful community and the people were very friendly. The staff was very helpful and was available to answer any questions that I had. They have all different types of activities like bingo, day trips, and a club house. It was a nice facility. The staff was very professional and pleasant."